Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) serve a wide range of physiological functions and have been implicated in a number of pathological processes and pharmacological effects of nicotinic drugs. Many of the important in vivo effects of nicotine in the central nervous system (CNS) are mediated mainly by the desensitization of nAChRs, specifically α4β2 nAChRs, which are the major nAChR subtype in the CNS and the one most clearly affected (up-regulated) by chronic administration of nicotine in rats and mice and by smoking in humans.
Sazetidine-A (Saz-A) is a recently reported new nAChR ligand that is a selective α4β2 nAChR desensitizer. U.S. Pat. No. 8,030,300 (incorporated by reference). Its major in vitro effect is to desensitize α4β2 nAChRs without affecting either α3β4 or α7 nAChRs. Saz-A shows strong in vivo effects in animal models, including analgesia, reduction in nicotine self-administration, reduction in alcohol intake, antidepressant-like activity, and reversal of attentional impairment.